Baber's Early History of Greene County Indiana Chapter IX

For the year 1737 [should be 1837] , Elisha M. HUNTIGNTON, former Prosecuting Attorney, appeared as president Judge of the Circuit Court and George F. WATERMAN, was admitted to practice law. During this year, one of our oldest settlers and one well known, procured a divorce. It was Nancy HATFIELD. She never married afterwards, but lived to be quite old and until all her children had died. She was a good financer, and accumulated a considerable fortune by her frugality and good management. The first case of John Doe against Richard Roe was instituted this year. These parties continued to appear in court as opposing parties in Greene count, at almost every term of court from 1837 to 1853, a period of sixteen years; yet, during the whole time, neither John Doe or Richard Roe ever had any conversation or neighborly sociability with any of the people, nor did either of them ever pay any attorneys fees or other cost. They both died on the same day, in 1853, by a disease called "new practice", and no one mourned their demise.

In 1838, Levi FELLOWS again appeared as Associate Judge, and took the place formerly filled by Judge COLE. George GIBSON and H. H. THROOP were admitted to practice. – One of the most noted trials of this year, was a case of E. P. CUSHMAN, as Treasurer of the county, against John B. FERREL, and his sureties, on his bond, as collector. The Court rendered judment for $1,672.52 ½. The county stood much on need of the money, as the Court House was then in process of being built. Another somewhat noted case, was an action for slander. A young lady, not yet of age, had been badly slandered, and she appealed to a jury of her countrymen, for redress. Defendant plead justification, but failed to satisfy the jury and they returned a verdict against him for four thous- [end of page 28] and dollars. No amount of money can compensate a pure and spotless woman for loss of character, yet it may deter others from uttering falsehoods against other women of unblemished character.

This rear, G R. H. MOORE was appointed Assessor for the whole county, and John HILL was appointed Collector. All the other officers continued in office.

Mr. HILL was one of the very early settlers in the county, and we believe it is safe to say that he was the closest Collector that ever held the office in our county. His delinquent list was very small. The old citizens refer to him as a model. He preformed his full duty, never swerving through favor or affection The bill is, them tax, is reported to be one of his favorite expressions. Although not exactly in conformity with grammatical rules, yet it was certainly to the point. He lived to be quite an old man, and was respected and honored by all who knew him.

Wright township was established this year. The firm of Lester & Jones, composed of WILLIS D. LESTER and JOHN JONES, Jr., opened out business in Bloomfield. They have been more fully noticed heretofore.

The contract for building the seminary was let this year, but it was not built for several years afterwards. This year, M. H. SHRYER took out license to vend merchandise. He came to the county several years before, and appeared willing to turn his hand to almost any honest employment. He has been engaged in merchandising, manufacturing iron, steamboating, farming and banking. He is extensively noted for his superior business qualifications, and has accumulated a handsome fortune, and at the same time been liberal towards all benevolent institutions and towards the poor. Some person who succeeds in life, and are every ready to suggest some unfair dealing, or some expression of the unfortunate. With this man no instance of oppression can be alleged against him; but many of his neighbors can bear testimony to his uniform generosity and years of indulgence. A few years ago he wrote a very bad hand, resulting from his hurry rather than inability. He sent a bill of exchange to New York, and the banker was unable to decipher his name, and was compelled to send it to the bank at Terre Haute, in order to learn his name, before it could be honored. Only a short time ago, a note given at an administrator’s sale, was presented to an attorney in town, with the statement that no one could tell whose note it was – that it had been examined by the whole neighborhood where the sale had been made, and no one could ell who signed it – that no one lived in the neighborhood whose name was anything like it. It was a note given by Mr. SHYRER for property that he had given to a poor and distressed man. In late years, Mr. SHRYER had become almost blind at times from neuralgia, and since partially losing hie eye-sight, he writes a tolerably fair, plain hand.

The county expenses this year, out side of building courthouse, was $1,444.36, of which nearly half was jury fees and pauper expenses.

The Treasurer’s fees were $87.22.

The Assessor’s fees were $80.00

For the year 1839, JOHN R. DIXON, was Sheriff, and WILLIAM N. NORRIS, Assessor. The other officers were the same as year before.

Major JOHN R. DIXON, was a very early settler, having settled on the west side of the river. He served as Sheriff four years. He was remarkable for his gallantry toward the ladies, his kindness to children, and his general cleverness toward the people, with whom he was very popular. At one time, when a candidate, he addressed the people at a place known as Fairplay settlement. The settlers had turned out from nearly all portions of the county, and particularly from the west side of the [end of page 29] river. It was a big rally for the times. In his speech he said among other things: "Fellow citizens: It has been circulated at the settlement of the county, that I have not been in the county long enough to entitle me to the votes of the people. I am glad to meet so many of my fellow-citizens in this settlement to-day, for there is not a man, woman, of child in the settlement, but what knows I made the first cow track ever made by a white man on these prairies."

This speech was electrical. Such a charge against such a man was so preposterous that all parties in that settlement felt constrained to rebuke the calumniator, and they voted for and elected the gallant Major.

This year, DAVID MC DONALD appeared as Judge of he Circuit Court, and continued in office as Judge until the close of the year 1852. He was more extensively mentioned in a former chapter. There were admitted to practice law, THOMAS H. CARSON, BASIL CHAMPER, SAMEUL HOWE SMYDTH, SAMUEL B GOOKINS and RICHARD W. THOMPSON. JOHN S. WATTS appeared as Prosecuting Attorney.

THOMAS H. CARSON located at Bloomfield and practiced law there for eight or ten years, and then went back to Kentucky, from whence he came. He also filled the office of County Auditor during a portion of the time he resided in the count. He also filled the office of County Auditor during a portion of the time he resided in the county. The last time we heard of him he was a captain in the Federal army, and inquiring for Greene county, Indiana, soldiers. Mr. CHAMBER was a man of more than ordinary talent in his profession, but died very early in life. JOHN S. WATTS was a man of fair ability, was appointed to a Judgeship in New Mexico by Mr. FILMORE, and finally made that territory his home. SAMEUL HOWE SMYDTH was said to have been a very brilliant young man. He went to France to travel for his health, and died there. The hopes that in his life'’ bright morn decked the future with golden tints, were permaturely dispelled before the "high noon" of life. We have heard that he had no superior among the men of his age. He was a brother to Dr. WILLIAM C. SMYDTH, who is an old settler and honored citizen in our midst. SAMEUL B. GOOKINS was a lawyer and judge of the highest grade. For a short time he was judge on the Supreme Bench of Indiana. Several years ago he located in Chicago, in which city he at once took front ranks as an attorney. He was remarkably genial, pleasant and courteous in his manners. Colonel DICK THOMPSON, as he has been familiarly called by our citizens for many years, is so well known by almost every one that it hardly worth while to say anything about him. He is a man of great natural ability, to which has ben added the highest intellectual culture. For thirty-five years he has been regarded as one of the ablest men in Indiana. In early life he served in the Lower House of Congress. He would have been an ornament to the Senate in its palmiest days, and a peer of the men who have given renown to our civil government; and would have reflected such an honor on our State as would have filled our hearts with State pride. For many years he has taken a leading part in the political conventions of his party, and usually drafts the platforms. He is the "noblest Roman of them all."

It was during this year that JOSEPH EVELEIGH and WILLIAM EVELEIGH declared their intention to become citizens of the United States. They sided here many years, and Joseph married he first girl that was born in the settlement. He is well known all over the country as having known all over the county as having kept for many years the "Old Stand", and as being one of our best citizens.

At this time in our history there was a very fair county library. The old trustees had passed the management of it into other hands. E. P. CUSHMAN, JOHN JONES, Jr., W. N. NORRIS, Dr. JOHN TOWNSEND and Dr. [end of page 30] WILLIAM FREELAND were the trustees. The old log school house had been abandoned and a neat brick school house had been erected near the present residence of WILLIAM WINES. There had fromerly been a school house on or near the southwest corner of the block of lots directly west of the public square; and, later, there was a house used for a school house where the "Old Stand" now stands.

While we do not pretend to be able to mention all of the old settlers, nor, in fact, any considerable protion of thise who were here in the year of which we are now writing about, yet there is one we have not mentioned, and will now call the attention of our readers to. Dr. JEREMIAH STAGGS was a delicate, small man, and would weigh less than one hundred pounds. He was a "root and yearb" doctor. The boys of the town, in the early days were "moved and instigated" by the desire for fun, fully as much as they now are, and very often the doctor, on going out in the morning, would find his door blockaded with May-apple and other roots. He endured with commendable patience these tricks of the boys. There lived in town at the same time, a large, robust, stout man, by the name of SULLIVAN, who would weigh about two hundred pounds. SULLIVAN circulated some very slanderous remarks about the doctor. A very usual mode of redress in that day, and perhaps the proper one, was to appeal to the courts by proper action. The gallant doctor elected to vindicate his honor by an appeal to the rawhide. He deliberately stepped into a store, purchased a rawhide, walked out on the street, near the northeast corner of the public square, and took Mr. SULLIVAN by the hand and severely "cowhided" him. Sullivan unresistingly submitted to it, although he might have handled his assailant with perfect ease. This was an illustration of the oft-repeated declaration, that "victory is not always to the strong". Mr. SULLIVAN appealed to the court for redress for his suffering body and injured feelings, and a jury of his countrymen gave him a judgement for twenty-six dollars and twenty-five cents.

The expense of the county this years, aside from the building court house, was $1,548.27, of which over one-half was for jurors and pauper expense, and more then one-third was for jury fees alone.

Our efficient Collector collected $1,941.57.

The Treasurer’s fees were $41.33.

The Assessors’ fees were $106.00.

Economy still prevailed in the county. [part of page 31]